I've Got A Lot Of Fight Left
by Sola Haze
Summary: After fleeing the Imperial academy and escaping on a shuttle, Sabine Wren lands herself on Lothal. Deterined to keep a low profile, she almost immediately runs into trouble. Now, with a bounty on her head, Imperials on her tail, and a strange Empire-hating crew requesting her membership, Sabine has no idea who to trust, and has nowhere else to run...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer on my profile**

 **Prologue**

Have you ever had a dream? A dream so real you never expected it to be crushed immedietly?

Have you ever had the smallest spark of hope? A spark so bright you never thought it would go out just as it lit?

When a dream so real is crushed, all others fade.

When hope so bright goes out, no new hope is brought.

This is true for many people.

But not for me.

The name's Wren.

Sabine Wren.

Imperial cadet.

Future soldier.

Perfect child.

 _Not anymore..._


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I run from it all.

From the academy, from home, from Mandalore.

No one will stop me. No one will dare stand in my way when they see the rage behind my eyes. I need to get away.

Now...

* * *

The Spaceport is full, bustling with people. Shuttle 462 is available. I sneak aboard, take my seat, stare out the window as the shuttle jumps into hyperspace.

 _I'm never going back._ I think to myself. _I'm never gonna go back home._ Because there is no home.

"Sentients, we are clear for landing." The droid pilot, RX-3, announces. I prepare for the landing, and for whatever planet I've gotten myself to.

I stand up, and make my way out of the ship. I step down the ramp into a spaceport hanger bay. I tilt my head up to look at the two moons above. One a normal-looking size, the second is smaller, far away. Both have a blue tinge.

I look up at a holosign overhead. _Welcome to Lothal._ Welcome to my new home.

I put on my helmet, letting the visor become my face. Blank and intimidating. As I walk towards the exit, all other people make a path, eyeing my blaster warily. I know why. I'm in Mandalorian gear, and everyone knows that Boba Fett, notorious Bounty Hunter, also wears Mando gear.

Never mess with a Mando.

The city streets are dark and deserted. All black and white and _boring_.

I stare at a wall outside City Square, thinking to myself. "Hmm," I mutter, my hand straying towards my utility belt. "Needs a little something." I take my airbrush, already loaded with purple, and raise it to the wall.

Flowing strokes, delicate curves, my natural talent goes to work. The talent that got me in trouble oh so many times. When I am done, a large intricate purple floral design has taken the place of the blank and blandness.

I smile to myself, but my smile quickly fades as I feel the barrel of a blaster being jabbed into my back. I hear clicks of loading guns, and soon find several more weapons being pointed at me.

"Graffiti is treason!" The monotone filtered voice of a Stormtrooper comes from behind me.

One grabs my E-11 cadet blaster. I am unarmed. I am cornered. But I am not afraid.

I slowly raise my arms, a plan taking place in my head.

"Remove the helmet." One orders. When I don't comply, I feel another sharp jab from the blaster. "Didn't you hear me? I said remove the helmet." He repeats.

"I don't think that'll be necessary." I say, smiling beneath my helmet. I suddenly kick off the wall in front of me and flip over the heads of the troopers behind me. I hear the baster bolts, but I simply throw a paint bomb over my shoulder.

I watch over my shoulder as they stop shooting and stare at the bomb, before realizing what it is. It is too late. the bomb goes off, throwing them all backwards.

I smile. They'll never catch me now. Then I grimace.

I have the horrible feeling I just jinxed myself.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lothal is peaceful as I run through the seemingly endless alleys and streets. I'm probably halfway across the city before I stop, oddly out of breath. I lean against the wall next to me, removing my helmet. I stare up at the rising sun as the moons disappear. I remember watching the sky of Mandalore. The moon, Concordia, sinking against the dark sky as the standard nineteen hour rotation period resets, the sun, Mandalore, rising to take it's place. The Vhe'viin scurrying by, the Jai'galaar sounding their piercing crys overhead. I often watched the sky when she ran around the academy premisise at the crack of dawn beside the other cadets in my unit.

I push the thought of home out of my mind. I was moving on, yet I seem to have already gotten myself in Imperial trouble. I remember the troopers. If they caught me, they would take me into custody, question me, and once they learned my name, would run a scan, and pull up the identity of a rogue Mandolorian cadet who is wanted back on Mandalore at any cost. Yeah, that's not happening.

I'm never going back, and not even the Empire can make me.

Something colorful suddenly catches my eye. I look to see purple footprints on the furrocrete leading right to me. My eyes widen as I bend my leg to look at the bottom of my foot. And sure enough, on the bottom of my cadet shoes, purple paint is drying. It must have gotten there when I flipped over the troopers. I must have pushed my foot off the painted area of the wall. I almost kick myself.

Suddenly, the sound of boots comes from the left. I can kick myself later.

I slip on my helmet, turn on heel and run down the street, but I don't make it far, because an impact is made above my right shoulder blade. I cry out in pain, the force of the impact throws me off my feet. I feel the energy of the blaster bolt reverberate through my shoulder, numbing my right arm.

I look up at the troopers closing in, my shoulder throbs. Damn bucketheads! Once again, I am unarmed, I am cornered. But I am not afraid. The squadron Commander grabs my arm. My _right_ arm. My resolve fades momentarily and I cry out again as pain explodes in my upper arm. He pulls me to my feet and examines my uniform.

When I left home, I threw my armour on over top of my uniform. Now I'm wearing a white Imperial uniform along with grey knee, elbow, and shoulder armour. I also wear black neck guards, a utility belt, black boots, and my helmet. So I look quite silly at the moment. I would have to add some color to the dull grey sometime, but that could wait for now.

"You're a cadet." It's not a question.

"And a Mandalorian." Another trooper adds.

"We're taking you in for detainment." The Commander finishes, reaching for his binders.

But he doesn't make it far. I rip out of the Commander's grip, clenching my teeth to keep from screaming. I grab the binders and swiftly cuff the Commander before anyone can react.

I am running again before the shooting starts.

"After her!" The Commander yells.

I smirk under my helmet. "It's too late, boys." Because I have already scaled a building wall, and I'm running off.

 _Try and catch me now, you Imperial scum!_


	4. Chapter 3

I have so had it! I am angry and I am so done! Almost everywhere I go, I find my face on wanted holoposters, because of those stupid Imperial remotes. My long raven black hair, my deep amber eyes, my copper toned skin. I can't go anywhere. I can't do anything. I wish I could go back home to mom and dad, but I know they're gone...  
There's nowhere in Capital I can go, so I go where I _can_ go. I climb up to the highest peak on the prairie. A cliff nearly 100 feet.  
I stare out at the orange sky, my lips part, and say all the things I didn't say. All the things that had been pounding in my brain. I will scream them loud. And they _will_ hear me.  
"Can you hear me?" I yell with anger and determination. "Can you hear my voice this time? You will not break me, you Imperial scum!" The words echo across the landscape. "You will never tear me down! I will stand here and I will never back away! YOU HEAR ME!"  
I stare out at the setting sun, feeling the wind race by. I feel my voice lower, almost inaudible, lost in the wind like everything else. "I will not back down..." I whisper, letting everything else slip away into the darkness. The memories, the worries, I let my entire past slip through my fingers. "I will not be your puppet anymore..."  
I grip my hair in one hand and raise the razor-sharp Vibroblade up to my long raven locks. "It's time for a new beginning..."  
My finger presses the activation button, and in one swift motion, I cut my hair short. I don't even watch as the long locks flow over the cliff's edge. I just watch the sun.  
 _It's time for a new beginning..._

I'm getting over things. I feel much better after cutting my hair short, and after chucking the Vibroblade away as well, but people still recognize me. I need to change even more. And that's why I'm back in Capital.  
I walk along the side of the street, people ignore me, but then I notice two Imperial officers heading my way. _They_ don't ignore me.  
I need to run, so I make a dash down the nearest alley. I hear footsteps behind me, and look to see the officers following me. Both are thin and pale, but surprisingly fast. They wear olive toned Imperial uniforms, and have faces harder than ferrocrete.  
I turn the corner, only to find it's a dead end. In the wall is a store, old and possibly out of business. But when I enter, there is someone behind the counter. A human male. He's unpacking something, so while he's distracted, I climb up onto an old wardrobe. From where I am, I know that if I jump, I can reach a ceiling support, but if I miss...  
I don't care. Anything's better than coming face-to-face with those officers. Worst part is, I lost my cadet blaster to those troopers, so I'm unarmed too. _Great_ situation so far.  
I spring off the wardrobe, grabbing onto the support. My arms nearly rip out of their sockets, but I still reached it. I use both my arms and my legs to push myself up onto the beam, just as the door opens.  
"No one move!" The one officer says as he walks in, holding his blaster pistol up. He is followed by his counterpart. I'm lucky this beam supports my weight.  
They both point their blaster pistols at the storekeeper, who looks shocked. "Where is the girl who just ran in here?" The second officer asks the human.  
"Girl?" He says in surprise. "No girl came in here."  
"Oh, really?" They approach the man.  
The man backs down. "I honestly don't know what you're talking abou-" He is cut off when a stun charge makes contact with his chest. The man slumps onto the counter before him, unconscious. I watch silently as the officers slap a pair of binders on his wrists and drag him out the door.  
I feel a pang of guilt as I drop to the floor. I remove my helmet and scan the shop. There must be _something_ that can change me. I look down at the helmet in my hands, dull and grey, and then I remember.

I spray the last bits of paint onto my helmet, my airbrush at it's finest setting. I smile as through my now yellow bangs. I had dipped them into a can of dye, and now I looked completely different.  
I grab a short sleeved black shirt and tan pants. I strip off my armour, then put the clothes on. I put my armour back on, and after that is done, I grab a pair of black, elbow-length gloves off the counter. I slip them on, and smile as I replace my helmet on.  
 _Now for a weapon..._ I think as I look around the shop once again. Then I see them. Two twin blaster pistols lying on top of a crate. I run to the crate and grab one of the blasters, smiling as I run one hand across it. They are WESTAR-36 pistols. Perfect.  
I holster both pistols and sit on the crate. I pick up two ammo straps off the crate, and wrap one around each leg, just below the knee.  
I smile as I jump down. Everything is way more comfortable. My boots barely make a sound as I walk towards the exit, but I stop. I turn around and look one last time at the shop.  
"Hmm," I mutter, my hand straying towards my utility belt. "Needs a little something."


	5. Chapter 4

**_Kanan's Point Of View_**

I know I'm supposed to be on my way to the rendezvous point in the old market, but I can't help but notice the posters. A girl, one with long raven black hair in grey Mandalorian gear. Burning amber eyes, copper skin. The picture a remote probably was able to collect is of her, leaning against a wall, helmet in her hands, smiling lightly out at the sky, as if she hadn't a care in the world.  
But if she was careless, the posters don't say anything of the sort. I lean forward, looking curiously at the poster.  
 **"Wanted by the Galactic Empire"** is written at the top in bold print. Below it are the words _Unnamed Mandalorian._ _Reward: 500 credits_. Below the holo, a description is written.  
 _'This unnamed female Mandalorian human is wanted for assaulting soldiers, defacing Imperial property, and defiance to an order by an officer. If sighted, report to the Imperial Security Bureau immediately.'_ At the bottom of the page, in large print, are the two menacing words all enemies of the Empire dreaded.  
 _'Wanted Alive'_  
I frown, and that's when I hear it.  
"Can you hear me?" An angry voice echoes through Capital. "Can you hear my voice this time? You will not break me, you Imperial scum!" Everyone looks up from what they're doing, and stare at the sky, from where the voice seems to be coming. "You will never tear me down! I will stand here and I will never back away! YOU HEAR ME!" The echo is strong, powerful. But now he echo is gone, and the message over.  
"Spectre 1, run any trouble?" Zeb's voice cracks over my commlink.  
I pause, still in shock, before I take the comm and reply. "Spectre 4, I'm on my way."  
"Roger. Spectre 4 out."  
I look over my shoulder at the city walls. Just above the grey ferrocrete walls, I spot a cliff peeking up. I feel something tug me in that direction, willing me to go. I shake my head. No. I push the feeling away, like I always have. Like I always will.  
I turn on heel and walk down the street. Nothing can make me go back to that life I left behind.  
Nothing...


	6. Chapter 5

**_Sabine's Point of View_**

I look around at my handiwork. Every wall is peppered with color, designs, patterns, everything. It's funny how you can take something shabby and run-down and turn it into a masterpiece.  
I've decided not to leave this place behind. I've decided this will be my new hideout. Casa Sabine. The name fits.  
I find myself making a bed out of storage boxes in the back room. I set my helmet down, remove my holster, and settle in, exhausted.  
The lights automatically shut off, and I'm in darkness. It's only a moment before I slip into my own darkness.

 _"Sometimes, I swear you'll be the death of me." Mom mutters as she hugs me close, our argument ending._  
 _I frown._ Not if the Empire gets to you first _. I think, but don't say. I don't want mom to worry any more than she already does. We've all done our fair share of worrying lately. Especially me. And I'm not about to tell her what I know. Not until I have confirmation. If it's a lie, and the Empire isn't coming, I don't want my family looking like their trying to run from their responsibilities._  
 _That would definitely put them in danger._  
 _I break away from the hug, throwing my mom a sly smile before I head out the door, and begin my usual route towards the transport that will take me to the academy. I'll see her again tonight. And if I get confirmation today, then I can finally tell her. Tell her, and get her out. Her and dad. Her and my brother, little Rotly._  
 _I'll get them somewhere safe. But_ I _won't be safe. I'll be at the mercy of the Empire if anyone ever finds out that I read classified datafiles. That I smuggled my family off world. That I committed an act of_ treason...  
 _It would all be over for me. Everything. Just like_ that _. My promising future at the academy, life at home, possibly my_ life _, period._  
Just like that...

 _It's been a long day at the academy. Even longer thanks to the excessive amount of worrying I've been doing. But I'm finally getting off the transport. I look up at the domed roof of the city._  
 _And that's when I see the smoke._  
 _I run as fast as my legs can carry me, shrugging off my backpack and throwing it aside. I scream. "Mom! Mom! Dad!? Rotly! Mom!"_  
 _I show up on the site of my house. Smoke spills out of the door and windows. I run through the open door, ignoring the acrid gas that burns my lungs and eyes. I squint, feeling my mind fog over, but I don't care. The dying remains of a fire lay in the kitchen. "Mom? Dad? Rotly?" No one is there._  
 _I run back out the door. I look around, and then I see three transports disappearing into the distance. "Mom!" I run after the transports, still coughing out the smoke. I turn my head to the side as I spit out a glob of black saliva._  
 _I run even faster, but the transports are too fast. Suddenly, I trip over my own feet, and go tumbling to the ground. When I stop rolling, I sit up, only to see the transports have disappeared. Mom... Dad... Little five year old Rotly... They all slipped through my fingers... Because I let them..._  
 _I am furious with myself. But I'm even more furious with the Empire. I feel tears of anger roll down my face. They're gone!_  
 _I rise to my feet, fists clenched so hard, my knuckles turn white._  
 _I will get my revenge._  
 _The Empire can bet on that._


	7. Chapter 6

**_Kanan's Point of View_**

"What took you so long?" Zeb asks when I show up at the rendezvous. He's standing just in the doorway of an old warehouse in the old marketplace.  
"Nothing," I lie.  
Zeb raises an eyebrow, but doesn't ask. "Anyway, the crates are here," He steps aside to show me two crates behind him. "Fulcrum sent 'em, that's what Hera said. Now we need to get 'em out."  
"Alright," I say. "Let's take them up onto the roof. Spectre 2 will be here soon."  
Zeb nods. I grab one crate, he grabs the other, and we head up the stairs.

Up on the roof, I feel it again. Still, coming from the same direction. I look to see Zeb is looking at me strangely, and I realize I must be making that face again.  
"Uh, Zeb? Can you make sure these crates get onto the _Ghost_?" I ask.  
"Well, where are you going?" Zeb asks.  
I hesitate. "Somewhere." Then I run down the stairs.

I walk towards the cliff the feeling is coming from. I usually don't follow feelings like this, but I know if I don't I'll lose my mind. Then I see something. At the bottom of the cliff, something is on the ground. I kneel down, picking up one long lock of raven hair. Odd. Then I see a vibroblade lying a short way's away. I realize, the girl who was speaking against the Empire was up on the cliff. This must have been her hair. She cut it off.  
I look up at the top of the cliff. I know what I have to do. This girl - whoever she is - could be a valuable crew member. I know Hera will never approve, so I need to do this alone.  
I stand up, letting the locks fall to the ground, and take off in the direction of Capital. She must've gone there after. I'll find her. I don't know what'll happen then, but I'll find her.  
And I get the feeling I'll find her all too soon.


	8. Chapter 7

**_Sabine's Point of View_**

After the dream, I snap awake. I blink, then realize, I'm still in the storeroom. I sigh, settling back in. I'm too tired to stay awake.

I wake to find the lights on, but two figures loom over me. I squint, managing to make out hard faces and grey hats. I close my eyes again. "Just another five minutes," I mutter with a smile.  
They yank me to my feet and cuff my hands behind my back. I squeeze my eyes shut, then open them, and now everything is much clearer. I'm still in the store room, but I'm handcuffed, and standing in front of two Imperial officers. I mentally sigh. They must've came back. I want to kick myself for being so stupid. Mandalorians are better than this.  
One grabs my helmet and holster off the floor and stuffs them into a bag. They each grab one of my arms and begin leading me out of the store.  
"Didn't think we'd find you, Mandalorian scum?" The one on my left asks.  
I glare straight ahead and answer in Huttese. "Uba wa duapa -joniu d'empiriolo beesga." If only he knew I was calling him a low-down Imperial fool. I may not be able to get away, but I can still fight back.  
But it seems one of them did understand. "Why, you little-" He whacks me in the back of the head with his blaster, knocking me off my feet. I slam face-down on the ground, feeling my teeth ache. The Imperial is smug. "That'll teach you, you smart mouthed-"  
I kick out my feet, knocking his out from beneath him. I allow myself a brief moment of satisfaction, but the other one yanks me to my feet once again. "C'mon," He says to his partner, who is getting to his feet. "We can do this when we get her to the Complex."  
The other one growls, but nods.  
I scowl. I've never come so close to capture before. "Kuna kee tee yoieu koumhaptecee cay tah, uba d'empiriolo kung." I mutter.

 _ **Kanan's Point of View**_

I watch from the rooftop as the Imperial officers drag the Mandalorian girl away. Yep, she's definitely cut her hair, and changed almost everything else about herself. I need to make my move before the Imperials reach the end of the alley, so I drop down before the Imperials. They're surprised, but quickly shake it off and come at me, but I'm ready. I take the one on the left first. I duck to his right and grab his blaster, then kick his legs out from beneath him. Then I summersalt over top of the other officer and jam the first officer's blaster into the back of his neck. He drops to the ground, unconscious.  
I look at the Mando girl, who glares at me. "Who the heck are you?" She asks.  
I go behind her and begin to pick the lock on the binders. "Well, don't thank me or anything."  
The binders opened and fell to the ground. She turned to look up at me, still glaring. " _Thank you_?" She asked. "I didn't need your help."  
"Yeah." I smirked. " _Right_."  
She grabs her helmet out of the bag and puts it on, then grabs her holsters and fastens it around her hips. I walk past her. "C'mon. Follow me."  
She crosses her arms. "Why should I?"  
I turn back to look at her, also crossing my arms. "There is nearly an entire city of Imperials looking for you. If you stay here any longer, you'll get caught again, and next time there won't be anyone there to help you."  
She seems to consider for a moment. "Ugh," She mutters, unfolding her arms and walking with me. "Fine."  
I smile. This kid has spunk. Maybe too much spunk for her own good, but I'm not about to let good spunk go to waste.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Sabine's Point of View**_

Whoever this guy is, he's got some nerve to think that _I_ needed help. I'm a Mando. Mando's don't need help from anyone.  
He leads me back to a diamond shaped Corellion freighter on the golden grassy fields outside Capital. The hatch is down, and inside stands a Lasat and an orange C1 astromech. As we walk up the ramp, the Lasat addresses the man.  
"So this is why you ran off on an op?" He asks, looking from the man to me. "For a girl?"  
He holds up a piece of flimsi, and I recognize it as one of my many wanted posters. I notice immedietely that the reward has gone up immensely.  
 _Woah,_ I think. _I'm worth 10'000 credits?!_ The reward went from 500 to 10'000 in little over a day. I think that's a Mandalorian record.  
The Lasat stares at the piece. He shrugs. "Yeah, so?"  
"I thought she might be a potential candidate."  
That catches me so far off guard that I don't even notice the green-skinned Twi'lek woman climbling down the ladder. She turns to look at the man, then at me. But once I have my barings, I notice how incredibly beautiful she is. Even for a Twi'lek  
She wears baggy yellow flight-suit pants tucked into brown boots, a longsleeve grey shirt, a brown cuirass, brown shoulder armour, and brown gloves. She wears metal headgear that covers the base of her Lekku. Not surprising, since the top portion of the Lekku near the head houses parts of a Twi'lek's brain, and damage to this part of the Lekku also caused lasting brain damage, since the tissue within governs basic motor functions, as well as housing repressed subconscious memories. That is one of the many things I learned at the academy.  
She also wears flight goggles attached to two half-spheres that obviously cover the little knobs on each side of her head, which all Twi'leks have. Her eyes are a glowing electric green, her black eyebrows are thin and arched. She has a small, flat nose, full lips, and defined cheekbones.  
But my analyctic eyes, and helmet scopes, quickly notice that her left boot is fitted with a holster, and there is a blaster in it. She is armed.  
My hand twitches towards one of my own baster pistols, but I restrain myself. I wont shoot her. As long as her hand never goes near that boot.  
I turn to look at the man. "If you think I'm joining your little freedom fighter squad, you're nuts." I put as much sass as I can into the statement.  
The man opens his mouth to say somehting, but the Twi'lek interupts. "Well, that's your choice." Her voice is silken. "But from what this poster says..." I was off-guard for so long I never even noticed she took the poster? "...You could be a valuable addition to our team."  
I put one hand on my hip. "Hey, look," I jab my thumb at myself. "I work solo."  
The Twi'lek glances at the man. "Sounds like someone I used to know."  
I ignore that and continue. "I'm not getting invoved in any alleigence to anyone or anything."  
"Well, if you ever change your mind..." The Twi'lek reaches to her belt and pulls off a commlink. She tosses it to me, and I catch it. "...You know how to contact us."  
I give a mock salute before turning down the ramp. "Right." I mutter as I walk away, feeling their eyes and photoreceptors on my back. "That'll happen."

 _ **Kanan's Point of View**_

I was so sure she would accept. Well, she wont make it far. With a 10'000 credit bounty on her head, that Mando will be hunted by every Bounty Hunter in the sector.  
I turn to see Hera looking at me. "You think she'll come back?" I ask.  
Hera looks back out at the grassy seas outside, even though the Mando is gone. "Yeah," She said. "She'll come back."


	10. Chapter 9

_**Sabine's Point Of View**_

I'm so not going back. i decided to ditch my hideout in capital and move on, but now I'm hungry and don't have any food. I need to take desperate measures.

I go to the black market, a warehouse full of thieves and any street orphan who has a brain. Back on Mandalore, if there were any black markets, a firing squad would be ordered. I look down at the commlink in my hand. May be I can sell it? It seems worth something.

I bite my lip. I don't really want to...

I have barely any credits. Only enough to buy some quick food. Maybe some rations? Do they even sell rations on Lothal? I found myself an old bag in the hideout. I carry everything I own in it. Just some more paint that I can't carry on my belt, a couple bread rolls, my helmet. Not much, but enough. I don't wear my helmet right now. This place is full of thieves and low people. I'm safe around these people, because every single one of them likely has a bounty on them, too.

I spot a stand on the other side of the warehouse. One with food, water, the two things I need most right now. But, suddenly something runs past me, and grabs my bag right off my shoulder. "Hey!" I turn, to see a kid running the other way. I growl, taking off after him.

The kid is young, fast, but not fast enough. I close in on his tail, then throw myself forward, shoving him down with my elbow. The kid lands face-down on the floor, the bag drops from his hand. I stomp a foot down onto his back, forcing a little gasp from his mouth. I take the bag and draw one of my blasters. I feel him still when he hears the charge. "I could blast you dead right now, kid." I growl in a low tone. After a long pause, I sigh and holster the blaster, "But I'm not that kinda person." I grab him by the back of the shirt and hoist him to his feet, where I quickly grasp a tight grip on the collar of his shirt. "But if you ever try that again, you won't be stealing from anyone ever again." I warn him. "Never mess with a Mando." And with that, I shove him away from me.

I head back towards the stand, run by a Rodian woman. I look through my bag, but can only find enough money for one roll. I sigh, buying the roll.

"Do you know anywhere I can find work?" I ask her. She shakes her head apologetically. I sigh, muttering a quick thanks before walking away.

Leaving the market, it's late afternoon, the perfect time to do absolutely nothing but wonder how to get food. Maybe those orphans are right. Maybe stealing is the best way to survive. Maybe I should just-

"Woa-" I feel someone yank me into an alleyway, covering my mouth for a second before releasing me. I stumble for a moment, then whip around to see several men in sparse gear block my way. I feel the color drain from my face. What now?

"So, you're the Mando on Lothal?" One asks.

I cross my arms, my usual sass coming through. "Maybe." Who are these men? They're shadowed in darkness, but the sillhouettes are clear. Mostly humans, a couple rodians, one devaronian. They're all tall, of respective species, and menacing in the dimmed light.

A human in the front, clearly the leader, steps forth. I step back. Rookiee move. Never back away from an adversary. I don't want them to think I'm weak. So what do I do? Draw my blasters? No. That's a very bad idea. That shows I'm scared. So what I do is I step forward as well. Again. Once more. Until the leader and I are barely a foot apart.

"Why?" I ask with a hard tone.

He sees the challenge in my eyes. I see him thinking. This makes me suspicious. "We saw the wanted poster."

"So you're here to cash in on the bounty?" I raise an eyebrow. While I'm speaking, I reach one slow hand for my right holstered blaster. "You also know I'm a Mandolorian," I whip the blaster out and point it at him. "And armed." If it didn't scare him, I hope it had at least made an impression.

As expected, the other members of the gang draw their weapons, I see everything from blasters to vibroswords to electrostaffs. How they managed to obtain such weapons is beyond me. My eyes never stray from the leader's face, staring him down, daring him to try anything.

What does he do?

He laughs.

He laughs in my face.

He glances back at his comrades. "See boys, the poster was right. She is dangerous." His eyes come back to me. "She's perfect."

I blink. "Excuse me?"

"We heard you in the market," He explains. "You're looking for work."

I push the end of the blaster against his nose. "You were spying on me."

He lightly shakes his head. "No, no, simply browsing, and lucky enough to overhear."

"You grabbed me and pulled me into an alley."

"Well, we couldn't very well discuss this on the street."

"Tell me why I shouldn't blast you right now?"

He grins crookedly, and says the only thing I needed to hear. "It pays."

I stand there for a second, and all is silent, save for the quiet buzz of the electric weapons the other gang members are holding. It's my choice.

I choose to put the blaster back into my belt, taking a step back. I cross my arms. "Keep talking."

"It's a simple steal job." He explains.

"From where?"

He nods. "That's exactly why you're perfect." He says. "From the Imperial banking unit."

I scowl at him. "I'm perfect because it's an Imperial center?"

He shakes his head. "No, you're perfect because you are both a former Imperial, and a Mando."

I get it now. "You want me to slip in and hack the account."

"You're one sharp girl." He says. "Yes, the account of the governor."

I think for a moment. "That's gotta be secure." I smile. "You really know how to pick a hacker, though. What's in it for me?"

"We split it even."

I shake my head. "Nope. Not good enough."

"A fifth."

"Keep going."

"Half." He says finally. "Final offer."

I smile, reaching out to shake hands. "I accept." We clasp hands, shake, but suddenly, my grip becomes deadly tight as I pull him forward to my eye level. "But if you even think of pulling one over on me, you won't live to regret it."

I release him, feeling for the comm at my waist. Maybe this can be useful after all. If I can tweak the frequency a bit. I recite the number on the side. "Give me a call sometime." I say, before walking past him, pushing through the gang.

I'd found my job. Now, I need a place to stay.

 **Ha ha! You guys thought the kid trying to steal her bag was Ezra, didn't you? Nope! No Ezra in this book!**


	11. Chapter 10

I always thought that house shopping was supposed to be easy. Yep. Not when you're a wanted criminal. I've checked every housing complex, but there are too many Imperial patrols, and I'm too well known. Fantastic. The moment I find a planet to hide on, I'm immediately discovered.

Well, if I'm gonna be treated like a criminal, may as well start thinking like one. Now that the normal living complexes are ruled out, the only thing left to do is use common sense. There are a lot of Loth-rats on this planet, and I'm not just talking about the animal. If all these street orphans can live out of homes and under the radar, why can't I?

I just need to think like a street rat. So, I begin looking in all the corners of Capital. The dark, abandoned, filthy, but undiscovered corners that will surely make a cozy home. But none suit my needs. Some are too easy to discover, some are too unprotected from weather, some are too small for even a slim teenager like me to live in, and some are just nasty. I'm not desperate enough to live in the polluted, gunky, toxic riverside next to the Sienar factory. Not yet, at least.

I finally come across one place that seems to fit my needs. It's out of the way, relatively clean, and has about enough room for me to live. It's a small little pocket through an old ventilation shaft in the wall of a rundown store, much like the one I'd been captured in not too long ago. The only way I found it is because the cover was hanging off by one screw. The vent, thankfully, is just wide enough to fit my slender frame through.

If you keep crawling through it for about a minute, you'll reach the end where lies a wide box-shaped room made of metal. On one end, there's another square hole for the air to travel through. This box was clearly used as a maintenance duct back when the building was operational. Now that the building's abandoned, there's no electricity, so no ventilation either. The idea of a full grown maintenance worker fitting through that shaft is crazy in my eyes.

But when I enter the room, it isn't empty like I expected. A lone little boy sits across the room with a piece of flatbread in his hands, carefully nibbling away at the edges as if savoring every bite. He's pale, and small, and looks quite fragile, with prominent ribs and thin, twig-like arms. He has a mop of raven black hair, a common hair color on Lothal, I've noticed, and the usual native golden-tanned skin tone. He is young, likely no more than thirteen.

The boy looks up at me, and I see his eyes go wide. They are a bright, alive color of turquoise. He recognizes me. I recognize him. The Loth-rat from the market.

He drops his flatbread in surprise and scrambles towards the second opening in the wall as I enter, but he turns back and hesitates. He looks at his flatbread, then at me, then at the bread again. I understand. He's starving, but he thinks I'll kill him.

I shake my head, suddenly feeling pity. I had threatened to kill him, because he stole my bag. But he's starving, and has no other way to get food. I'm not saying I regret my earlier actions, but I could have done things a little differently.

"Wait." I say in a quiet tone, reaching out a hesitant hand. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

He doesn't appear to believe me. I sigh, taking a step forward, he scrambles back. But I pick up the flatbread and hold it out to him. I can see the ravenous hunger in those turquoise eyes, and clearly, it triumphs over his better judgement. He takes the flatbread from my hands before returning to the second duct, curling up in the mouth of the shaft.

 _Just like a Loth-rat._ I step a little further into the room, a thought coming to me. This kid's a street rat. Perhaps he can help me find a place to stay. If only I can get him to trust me...

"I'm..." I begin, trying to find the right words. "I'm sorry about the market, but... I don't have any money either." The boy doesn't respond. I step closer again. "I'm Sabine."

The boy peeks over his bread at me. He purses his lips, but says quietly. "I'm Raku..."

I smile, taking yet another step. "Good to know your name." Now I get right to the point. "I need your help. I need a place to live, so I can stay under the Imperial radar. Can you help me?"

He looks hesitant, but nods all the same. He glances over his shoulder. "Down there is another one of these rooms. You could live down there if you like."

I nod. "That's perfect."

He steps aside to let me through, but as I crawl into the opening, I pause. I look back to see he's nibbling on the bread again. I frown, sitting down on the ledge. "How long have you lived alone?"

He once more looks up at me, but looks down a moment later, his face contorts into a grimace. "Eight years."

 _An orphan since the age of five..._ I frown. "What happened to your parents?"

He scowls down at his bread. "The Empire."

I nod. "Same here."

And for the next little while, I do my best to form a connection to the little street rat. He eventually opens up when I begin to explain my story.

"The Academy?"

I nod. "Yep. Level five student."

He stares at me so intensely, I know he's listening to everything I say. "Why did you leave?"

I hesitate, looking down. Maybe I shouldn't be sharing my whole life story with a kid. But the memory is too painful not to say aloud. "The Empire took them away." I try to hide my emotions, but the sparkling wetness in my eyes gives me away. "Because of me."

The boy - Raku - purses his lips, approaching me carefully. "I'm... I'm sure they're fine." He says.

I nod, unconvincingly. "Yeah."

He looks to the little doorway. "Imperial patrols usually don't patrol down here. You should be safe."

I smile. "Thanks."

I turn, crawling along until I reach the next maintenance area the boy mentioned. It will make a cozy little home. Maybe a little too unventilated to paint with my usual tags, but it will make a safe, happy hideout until I can get back on my feet.

I sit down, resting my head against my bag as a pillow. I need sleep badly. But from down the hall, I hear a little voice call.

"Goodnight, Sabine."

I smile, letting my eyes close. And for the first time in a long time, I feel at home.


End file.
